Chicken Pasta Crinkle Cake (Print)

Savory layered dish with crispy phyllo, shredded chicken, and pasta in a creamy cheese sauce.

# Ingredients:

→ Filling

01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
02 - 1 cup cooked ditalini pasta (from about ⅓ cup dry)
03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
04 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Phyllo Layers

11 - 1 package (16 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed
12 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Custard

13 - 3 large eggs
14 - 1 cup whole milk
15 - ½ cup heavy cream
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, cooked ditalini, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly incorporated.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel. Working quickly, brush one sheet lightly with melted butter, fold accordion-style, and place into the baking dish. Repeat with seven more sheets side by side to cover the bottom.
04 - Spread the chicken and pasta mixture evenly over the layered phyllo base.
05 - Repeat the scrunching and buttering process with the remaining eight phyllo sheets, layering them over the filling to cover completely. Brush the surface with remaining melted butter.
06 - Whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over the assembled layers, allowing it to soak through the phyllo.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is crisp and golden. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
08 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with additional fresh parsley.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly fancy but actually comes together faster than you'd expect, making weeknight dinners feel special.
  • The combination of textures—crispy phyllo, tender chicken, and creamy filling—keeps every bite interesting.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and it's the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp (not wet) towel the entire time you're working with it—even two exposed sheets will crack and shatter, ruining the crinkle effect.
  • Don't skimp on the butter between phyllo layers; that's what creates the crispiness and prevents everything from sticking together into a dense, phyllo brick.
  • The custard needs time to soak through, so resist the urge to slice immediately—ten minutes makes the difference between a sloppy slice and one that holds its shape.
03 -
  • Use a pastry brush to butter the phyllo, not your fingers—the control is better and the application more even, which means more consistent browning.
  • If you're nervous about the phyllo, practice scrunching one sheet before you commit to the whole package; it's a technique that feels awkward the first time but becomes second nature quickly.
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